Video: Who Cracks Under Pressure at the First Race? - Pinkbike Academy Episode 2

 muhahahah .. that made my day

 Or at least time differences would be interesting.

 5 Things We Learned From Episode 2 of the Pinkbike Academy will follow tommorow.

 I think you're confusing this shitshow with a legitimate competition searching for real racing talent.

 With Stans as a sponsor of a show,...

 @Spiral23: seriously though. Stans even has the dart they could've been given to fix punctures on the trail.Who is really planning on racing on tubes and without any tools anyway?

 Proper Enduro repair is stab that tire with a plug and shoot some CO2 in that puppy. Seems like a bit of a miss here. I feel like the best test would have been to have a flat tire and a table with tools. See who can make it work without leaking the fastest. That's a race test.

 Yeah, we didn't even think tubes were legal in Canada, but we get it. Gotta make the challenge take a long time and be tough and dramatic. Making somebody install a tube then race on it is a gruesome-level cruel challenge, up there with bunnyhopping barbed wire and helmets filled with spiders.

 @EricLanglais: Agree but if you are gonna go full goon then slash their tires and hand them a DH casing beast and tube.

 @GAQ: exactly, the only tube I have is strapped to my frame as a spare in case sealant and plugs fail. Come on PB, this is not the 90’s.

 I laughed when the comment was made about the ease of install of the tires back onto the rims. Stans bead tolerance and production quality are piss poor.

 What were those black rubber bands they were putting inside the tyres?

 @gclarida: What do you use? Never had an issue with MK3, planning on using EX3 but open to options. I tore through chromag (love the company but don't use their rims) and DT swiss 1900.

 @monsieurgage: ex471

 @gclarida: FR570 is overkill or worth the extra 100g?

 @headshot: some sort of tyre insert maybe? I use those things at the shop when I need to protect some surface from banging... maybe those are ghetto Cush cores? ????????

 @monsieurgage: 570 is a great rim, the difference I've found for the 471 is compliance. The 570 is a stiffer cast of aluminum and is a bit stiffer and better for holding your line, while the 471 will comply a bit around trail chatter. The difference I've noticed running either of the wheelsets is a stiffer, more responsive ride with the 570 accompanied by flat spots and constant wheel maintenance, whereas the 471 seemed to have the ability to stay undinged and true even after weeks of daily bike park smashing.

 @gclarida: I wonder if cushcore and a 570 rim would be a worth while combo if you can handle the weight. Stiff to hold a line and the CC would prevent some rim smash. Then again if the 471 handles bike park thats pretty compelling.

 My 8yo was annoying me to watch this 2nd episode.. had to turn it off.. this could have been kept cheesy without unnecessary takes and messages passed..

 Could not agree more, I tried watching to see if my love of all things bike could overshadow my distaste of all things ‘reality TV’...

Nope.

But if it makes some other folks happy I still applaud the effort.

 I was not going to watch this but as a gov't worker it's my duty. It is head and shoulders above 90 Day Fiancee the other way pillow talk my wife watches. I'm going to keep watching. /shame as well.

 I mean with ten riders going all out on 20 individual wheels 1 flat isn't bad. The trail looked rocky enough!

 Nah, we're all good. Tubes are a great horrible challenge, so bravo to Pinkbike for that one. Would've been a pretty short challenge if they used DARTs or plugs. Based on last week's bike builds, sort of expected some bike troubles. Wonder what tire pressure was like on that bike.

 I hope the flat tire didn’t contribute to Nicole being kicked

 check out Ben Cathro's inside the tape for all your needs (but you probably know that already). I like that show better

 Yeah pretty rough! Nicole looked fast af! #bringbacknicole

 @timrides: Yeah, there's an element of near arbitrary cruelty in these kind of programs that some people seem to enjoy. I guess the whole tense 'elimination' thing is one of the tropes of the format. I know not everyone can win but I was kinda hoping it'd be done in a bit more of a chilled way, cos, you know, mountain biking, might not need to get kicks off being mean?? Plus, yeah, bit of DIY 101 and one (maybe blind) run, one flat on a strange bike and done. I'd a thunk at least a couple of challenges involving er..riding would have felt more fair to everyone before the first chop.
Hope she doesn't care too much!

 @timrides: #nicolegotrobbed

 @bananowy: #nicoleisthenewbrendog

 @cpscotti: hahahah

 Yeah, it looks like a typical reality show, but without boobs. But to be honest, clearly there is a market for this kind of entertainment. Just pass by.

 This was really painful. Sorry Pinkbike, this is just a waste of time.

 Also not stoked on the production. I cringed more that I would have liked and wanted to fast forward through pretty much all of it. Also, how are you going to force people to race on tubes, then disqualify the person who got a pinch flat?

 @me2menow: Has no one realized she flatted on the rear, and the challenge was done on the front wheel?

 @Sturp: true. Thought they had to do both wheels. Difficult to keep track with all the cuts

 @Sturp: You got the eye! She indeed flatted on her back tire, which was tubeless.

 I want to see this but I also want them to remain uncontaminated by the schlock.

 That would be sweet, i am sure theyll be there

 Ahem. Bake off isn't even in the same league as Survivor. It is actually great TV with satirical comedy at the likes of Survivor. Plus cakes...

 This missed the opportunity to add some Gordon Ramsay in it.

 @originalstraygoat: Yes of course, Bake Off is far superior. I just saw some tropes from both, that's all.

 @lRaphl: Well, Jason wasn't yelling at anyone... yet?

"Do you expect someone to ride that bike with a bloody _Minion SS_ on the f*cking FRONT?! Idiot!"

 This is somewhat related but also not.
Brian Moreau was a French kid that came over to the US to race supercross. He had a really bad crash in timed practice in his first race ever that resulted in him being paralyzed. He had a gopro on the top of his helmet and some legitimate sources said when he went OTB and landed on his head the go pro shoved into the helmet shell and left a sizable dent. It may or may not have played a role in how seriously he got injured, but it was enough for Rodger Decoster (the KTM race operations director and legend in the sport) to put an all out stop to helmet mounted gopros on any of the Austrian bikes.
Anyway, I think having a gopro mounted anywhere on your head is a roll of the dice. At least in the dirtbike world, there had been a lot of effort in making helmets more round/less edgy. Sharp edges have the tendency to catch when your head hits the ground and twist or rotate your head really fast, which seems like where concussions really happen. Mounting a mini toaster sticking way out is basically defeating the purpose of millions of dollars spent on helmet and overall safety development.

 Tell this to Michael Schumacher ;-)

 @powpowpow: Yes, indeed! It was reported at the time it was the GoPro on his helmet that has left him as one of, if not the, richest cucumbers in the world. Even though I was not a fan of his during his career, it is not the way one would want to see someone spend the remainder of their lives. We have enough to worry about with rocks and tree stumps smacking into our helmets, adding a Go-Pro to land on top of is just increasing the risk to ourselves.

 @nskerb: thanks for the info; I find it very thought-provoking and useful! Good karma coming your way.

 @nskerb: wow.. every day you learn something new. thanks

 both are unsafe really

 @nskerb: I chin mount my GoPro which seems pretty safe. Feels safer than a chest mount for sure.

 @handynzl: Chesty

 Fed through a wood chipper, along with the rider who's been voted off. Stakes are high.

 @pbuser2299: That is terrible. The bikes will be missed!

 Very true, but this is Bike Brother. Way better

 Is this Real World or Road Rules?

 @jojotherider1977: neither, it’s the Real World - Road Rules Challenge that was on the air way too long.

 Great question!

 This is schlock content. A discussion of race in the industry is journalism. And your comparison of the two is misinformed at best.

 @amresearch: Please be aware what is "journalism" these days and whats content/click catcher.
What Im trying to say is that that present level of pop culture leads nowhere and I wouldnt imagine "big brother" shit will come here...

 "Get Off My Lawn" !!!

 Dear hemi427

this show is awesome. it gives up and comers a chance to become brand ambassedors and break into the professional aspect of mountain biking and follow their dreams. i see absolutely no hard in rooting for your favorites and this is far from "big brother"... just a bunch of young adults throwing it out there in the shop and on the trails.

haters gunna hate.

 @deepstrut: everyone here already has heaps of support.

 You should probably not click on things you aren't interested in.

 @spaceofades: definitely not true.

 @brianpark: no? Vlad, picked up by the biggest Russian sponsor after his first race. Ben, racing world cup overseas. Julia and Evan, on the Norco National Development team. Addison, big roadie supported by Zipp. Who *isnt't* supported?

 @spaceofades: are you sure? He did say "definitely", so...

 Well said dude. I love PB but this is the wrong direction.

 @spaceofades: Depends on what you consider "heaps". There are full time pro's right now struggling to secure sponsors. I don't imagine any of these riders are getting "heaps" of support. More likely all self funded with some regional hook ups that allow them to attend the occasional global event.

 ooh Brian's below threshold... the drama continues. What will next episode of comment wars bring?

I actually agree with @spaceofades those dudes and dudettes are already supported (Addison was even a RedBull athlete). Nothing wrong with that and inevitable when you want really fast, standout riders on the show because fast guys become fast by making mtb their way of life and that tends to tie them to the industry one way or the other. But the fact remains they're not out of nowhere or unfamiliar to the professional aspect of mtb.

 @spaceofades: I don't think getting a few free parts or some pro deals will help you fund getting full time on a professional circuit. Unfortunately, without professional team support, your chances to last are very low.

 ish... fix the flat tyre first.

 @GilesSTurner: honestly i didn't think I would be close to being right hahahaha

 The preview for the next episode looks better.